Wood-block flooring



- OCt. 14, 1930. WVI FE1-Z 1,778,069

WOOD BLOCK FLOORING Filed March 7. 192B 2 Sheets-Sheet l .IWMw" WWW @511% I I tkwuu 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. FETZ WOODBLOCK FLOORING Filed March 7, 1928 Oct. 14, 1930.

Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE WERNER FETZ, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO E. L. BRUCE COMPANY, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE 'WOOD-BLOCK FLOORING y appuoaaonvmea March 7, 192s. serial No. 259,814.

My invention relates to wood block fiooring and has particularly in view the production of a fabricated block that can be laid without the use of slip tongues. In laying block flooring, slip tongues are used to join together adjacent blocks along those edges where a groove in one block is opposite the groove in the adjacent block. The elimination of slip tongues saves the cost of manufacturing the same, saves the labor of the Hoor-layer in putting them into place and in cutting them to proper length. In addition, the slip tongues get scattered over the floor, and thereby interfere with the fast operation of laying.

Referrlng to the drawings for a more complete disclosure of the invention: y p

Fig. 1 is a layout for two tongue-two groove blocks of a preferred form; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the blocks looking in the direction of 2-2 of Fig. 1; y

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the blocks looking in the direction of 3 3 of Fig. 1; and f Fig. 4 is a layout of a modified form for two tongue-two groove blocks; and

Fig. 5 is a layout of another modified form of two-tongue-two groove blocks. i

In the manufacture of the fabricated block, I use short strips of iiooring 2 with the grain running lengthwise and having a groove 3 along one longitudinal edge, into which fits the integral tongue 4 along the opposite edge of the adjacent strip. The under- *l side of the flooring strips are provided with the customary hollow back 20,l and there is the customary clearance or relief 21 between the strips. Before assembling the pieces to form the block, I cut agroove 5 on one end of each piece and on the'other end I cut a tongue l6. The strips are then assembled and are securely held together to form a unitary block by any suitable means, that shown being a metal spline 7 forced into the groove 8 running transversely of the bottom of the block and as fully described and claimed in the application for patent of Allen, Serial No. 198,085, filed June 11, 92

if they did it would be impossible to fit these I' blocks together in forming the floor. The end 11b of the tongue 11 will be flush with the bottom of the groove 10. and the end 12b of the tongue 12 will be flush with the bottom of the roove 9. f.

In the modi cationl shown in Fig. 5, the

Hoor is laid With what are known as right hand and left hand blocks, each block hav,- ing, as heretofore described, two tongues and two grooves. In order to lay such blocks,

it-is not necessary to cut lawaythe adjacent' cornersof the tongues, if the right andleft hand blocks are laid inthe proper relationship. To determine whether a block is a right or a lefthand block, the observer should place it vwith the longitudinal 4groove 9 toward him. If the transverse tongue 12 is on i the left side, it is a left hand block and if on the right side, it is a right hand block.

In Fig. 5, the right hand blocks are marked R and the left hand blocks are marked L. When laid as shown in Fig. 5,it will be noted that from top to bottom there are alternate horizontal rows of right hand and left hand blocks. A diagonal cut 13 is made across the corner of the lock shown in Fig. 1, where the tongues 11 and 12 meet and in order that there may be always suiicient clearance, the tongues are cut back'a little from the diagonal along the end portions 15. I. 1 Y

In the modification shown vin Fig. 4, the tongue 11 is cut out, so that itsy end 11 will be in line with the bottom of the groove 14 'p of the adjacent block, when the blocksare in assembled relationship. The tongue 12 will be cut out at its end 12, in a similar manner. The'blocks may be laid in position on the lsubiioor by means of a plastic cement, in

which case it is not necessary to nail the blocks 'in position. If the blocks are laid on a wood Y for a movable one, the movable Contactin surfaces are considerably diminished. Eac

block in the panel, being unsecured to the adjacent blocks, is free to move relative thereto. The tendency of such relative movement,

' due particularly to expansion and contraction on account of moisture absorption by the wood, is always present.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of essential attributes thereof, andI therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference p being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the sco e of the invention.

aving thus described my invention, what l claim as new and usefuland desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A floor block composed of a plurality of pieces of wood with the grain running lengthwise ofthe ieces,the pieces being united along their longltudinal edges by a tongue and groove joint to form a unitary block, a roove along one of the longitudinal outer eges of the block, another groove running across the grain and along one of the transverse outer edges of the block-an integral'tongue along the other longitudinal edge of the block and an integral tongue running across the grain and along the other transverse edge of the block, the tongue along the longitudinal edge of the block being shorter than the length of the block. 1

' 2. A Hoor block composed of a plurality of pieces of wood with the grain running len hwise of the pieces, the pieces being united along their longitudinal edges by a tongue and groove joint to form a unitary block, a groove along one of the longitudinal outer edges of the block, another groove running across the grain and along oneV of the transverse outer edges of the block, an integral ton e along the other longitudinal edge ofthe lock and an integral tongue running across the grain and along the other l`transverse edge of the block, the tongue alongthetransverse edge of the block being shorter than the width of theblock.- V-

3. A ioor block composed of a plurality of pieces of wood with the grain running len hwise of the pieces, the pieces being united vin along their longitudinal edges byatongue and groove joint to form a unitary block, a oove along one of the longitudinal outer e ges of the block, another groove running across the grain and along one of the transverse outer edges of the block, an integral ton e along the other longitudinal edge of the lock and an integral tongue running across the grain and along the other transverse edge of the block, the tongues along the longitudinal and transverse edges of the block 'being shorter thal the length and width of the block respective 4. )la Hoor block composed of a plurality of pieces of wood with the grain running lengthwise of the pieces, the pieces being united along their longitudinal edges by a tongue and groove joint to form a unita block, a groove along one of the longitudmal outer edges of the block, another groove running across the grain and along one of the transverse outer edges of the block, an integral tongue along the other longitudinal edge of the block and an integral tongue running across the grain and a ong the other transverse edge ofthe block, the tongues along each edge of the block terminating short of the other edge.

5. A rectangular ioor block composed of a plurality of pieces of wood with the grain running lengthwise of the pieces, the pieces being united along their 'longitudinal edges by tongue and groove connection to form a unitary block, means'for holding the pieces in assembled relationship, a groove alon one of the longitudinal outer edges of the lock, another groove running across the grain and along one of the transverse outer edges of the block, an integral tongue along the other longitudinal edge of the block, an integral tongue running across the grain and along the other transverse edge of the block, the

tongues along each edge terminating short of the other edge of the block to an extent substantially equal to the depth of the grooves.

6. A flooring block composed of a plurality of pieces united along their edges by a tongue and groove joint and having two integral tongues at an angle to and adjacent each other, the adjacent portions of the tongues becut away. l

A flooring block composed of a plurality of pieces and having two integral tongues at an angle to and adjacent each other, the adjacent portions of the tongues being cut away diagonally.

8. A panel made of blocks composed of a plurality of pieces of wood with the grain running lengthwise of the pieces, means for holding the pieces in assembled relationship, a groove along one of the longitudinal outer edges of the block, another groove running across the grain and along one of the transverse outer edges of the block, an integral tongue running across the grain and along the other transverse edge of the block, an integral tongue along the other longitudinal edge of the block, a portion of the adjacent tongues in the-panel being 'cut away to permit assemblage of the blocks to form said panel, the

blocks in the panel being free to move relative to .each other.

9. A panel made of blocks composed of a plurality of pieces of wood and having two integral tongues adjacent each other, a ortion of the adjacent tongues in the pane being cut away to permit assemblage of the blocks to form said panel, the blocks in the panel being free to move relative to each Other.v

10. A panel made of blocks composed of a plurality of pieces of wood provided with hollow backs, each block' having two grooves adjacent each other, and two integral tongues adjacent each other, an end of a ton e in `each block terminating short of the e e of l the block to permit assembla e of the b ocks to form said panel, the bloc s in the panel being free to move relative to each other. In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

WERNER FETZ. 

